Quote:
Originally Posted by StrykerSteve
You want to know why Calgary didn't make the playoffs this year? That's why.
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Maybe not quite the playoffs, but it gets us close.
Prior to today, in Hiller's starts we're 8-13-2 with 68 goals for and 73 against. Replace Hiller with Ortio (season save percentage of .901 ... not even a
good save percentage) and our goals against drops to 61. Suddenly in those games instead of being -5 goals for/against we're +7 and are probably more like 13-8-2 and sitting just on the outside of the playoffs with 78 points.
If, however, we got the Joni Ortio we've seen since 02/23 - save percentage .912 - that drops our goals-against to 55 and hey presto we're +13 goals for/against in those games and a 15-6-2 record seems somewhat reasonable.
Now, obviously if certain saves are made the games play out differently so you can't just retroactively say this is how they would play out, but it sure does show you the difference goaltending makes.
I mean, that .912 Ortio is playing behind exactly the same team, minus Jones and Russel, plus Jokkipaka that Hiller was. Though admitedly for a lot of those October losses there was no Brodie in the lineup. Are Brodie and Jokkipaka alone able to prevent almost 20 goals against? I like those guys, but I don't think so.
Good God I hate Hiller.